Study with Quizlet and memorize flashcards containing terms like How had royal officials in other colonies prevented riots similar to the Boston Tea Party?, Read the quotation about a vision for American society after the American Revolution. "Whereas the traffic of White people, heretofore countenanced by [New York] while under the arbitrary control of the British Government, is contrary to The Declaration of Independence was a defining moment in the creation of American nationalism. By declaring themselves independent, the colonies transformed their collective identity from disparate entities into a unified nation with shared ideals and aspirations. During a September 1776 attempt to negotiate peace, British commander General Richard Howe demanded that American representatives (including John Adams and Benjamin Franklin) retract the Declaration of Independence. On July 4, 1776, during the American Revolution, the Second Continental Congress adopted the famed document drafted by Thomas Jefferson that pronounced the independence of the thirteen states, previously the Thirteen Colonies. The Declaration of Independence, adopted on July 4, 1776, not only marked the birth of the United States but also served as a revolutionary document that influenced various aspects of governance and human rights across the globe. List of some of the major causes and effects of the Declaration of Independence. Several years of armed conflict eventually secured international recognition of what the Declaration had proclaimed: the American colonies became independent of Great Britain and formed the United States of America. These three documents, known collectively as the Charters of Freedom, have secured the rights of the American people for more than two and a quarter centuries and are considered instrumental to the founding and philosophy of the United States. Declaration of Independence Learn More The Declaration of Independence expresses the ideals on which the United States was founded and the reasons for Note: The following text is a transcription of the Stone Engraving of the parchment Declaration of Independence (the document on display in the Rotunda at the National Archives Museum.) The spelling and punctuation reflects the original. In summary, the Declaration of Independence was instrumental in shaping the American Revolution by providing a unifying ideological foundation, fostering internal solidarity, securing vital international support, guiding strategic leadership, and establishing a lasting legacy of democratic principles. Written primarily by Thomas Jefferson, it explains why the Thirteen Colonies decided to separate from Great Britain during the American Revolution (1765-1789). It was adopted by the Second Continental Congress on 4 July 1776, the anniversary of which is celebrated in the US as Independence Day. It established for the first time in world history a new nation based on the First Principles of the rule of law, unalienable rights, limited government, the Social Compact, equality, and the right to alter or abolish oppressive government. After two days of editing and debate, the Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, even as a large British fleet and more than 34,000 troops prepared to invade New York. The Declaration of Independence played a critical role in unifying the colonies for the bloody struggle they faced. Washington Commands the Continental Army The Congress formally adopted the Declaration of Independence—written largely by Jefferson—in Philadelphia on July 4, a date now celebrated as the birth of American independence. In fact, they remained obscure for decades. And yet the spirit of the Declaration caused ripples almost immediately, most famously with the French Revolution in 1789. The Haitian Revolution followed soon after, and the subsequent decades would see many Latin American countries continuing the fight for independence from colonial powers. He described the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution as "these fragile objects which bear so great a weight of meaning to our people." The story of the Declaration of Independence as a document can only be a part of the larger history, a history still unfolding, a "weight of meaning" constantly, challenged, strengthened, and redefined. In the minds of many Americans, July 4th is the nation’s birthday—the date celebrated with fireworks, patriotic speeches, and parades across the country. Yet it was on July 2, 1776, that the Continental Congress formally broke ties with Great Britain by adopting the Lee Resolution, a brief but momentous declaration of independence that severed the legal bonds between the thirteen American The Revolutionary War (1775-83), also known as the American Revolution, arose from growing tensions between residents of Great Britain’s 13 North American colonies and the colonial government The definition of the Declaration of Independence for APUSH is a foundational document adopted by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. Drafted primarily by Thomas Jefferson, it announced the independence of the 13 Original Colonies from British rule. The American Revolution —also called the U.S. War of Independence—was the insurrection fought between 1775 and 1783 through which 13 of Great Britain ’s North American colonies threw off British rule to establish the sovereign United States of America, founded with the Declaration of Independence in 1776. British attempts to assert greater control over colonial affairs after a long
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